1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for supporting game carcasses in order to better facilitate skinning and dressing the carcasses and more particularly, to a clamping device which is attached to a support wall, post or other vertical support surface for securing a game carcass such as a squirrel carcass in position to facilitate efficient skinning and dressing of the carcass. In a preferred embodiment the clamping device is characterized by an elongated, generally U-shaped clamp bracket terminated on each end by a bracket mount flange to facilitate mounting the clamp bracket to the vertical support. A V-shaped neck notch is provided in the upper edge of the clamp bracket for receiving the neck of the carcass and a leg notch is provided in the clamp bracket on each side of the neck notch for alternately receiving the rear, and optionally, the front legs of the carcass. An elongated clamp bar pivotally mounted on the clamp bracket is lowered to engage the rear legs or front legs and neck of the carcass and a coiled latch spring provided on the clamp bar is stretched taut and caused to engage the clamp bracket and secure the clamp bar against the rear legs or against the neck and/or front legs of the carcass, and the carcass in the clamp bracket. Skinning of the animal carcass is accomplished using the clamping device by initially securing the rear legs of the horizontal carcass in the clamp bracket to skin the lower body and subsequently reversing the carcass and securing the front legs (optionally) and/or the neck in the clamp bracket to complete the skinning operation.
One of the problems realized in the skinning and dressing of small animal carcass such as squirrel, racoons, rabbits, nutria and like animal carcasses is that of supporting and positioning the animal carcass in the proper orientation to achieve efficient skinning and dressing. Since proper execution of the skinning technique requires positioning the animal carcass in a proper configuration to facilitate efficient use of the skinning knife, it is expedient to use a support of proper design in the skinning operation. It is frequently necessary to hang an animal carcass in an elevated, head-down position and sometimes in an elevated, head-up position in order to properly skin and dress the carcass. In both cases the carcass should be supported in a secure manner and the support should allow ample working space to facilitate application of considerable force to the carcass in order to remove the skin and complete the dressing operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices for suspending animal carcasses for skinning and dressing game are known in the art. An early invention entitled "Gambrel", is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 828,620, dated Aug. 14, 1906, to D. H. Martin. The Martin "Gambrel" is characterized by a pair of hooks, each of which is attached to an elongated scissor device with a separate, curved connector bar used to adjust the spacial relationship of the hooks with respect to each other. A "Suspension Device For Use In Skinning Small Animals" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,027,335, dated May 21, 1912, to A. G. Huyerdahl. The Huyerdahl device is characterized by a U-shaped frame, the rear support of which is slidably adjustable to position the parallel, extending ends or fingers closer to or further away from each other, as desired. The fingers extend from the support member in sets of two and the paired fingers in each set are joined by a thumb screw to facilitate securing the legs of an animal therebetween. U.S. Pat. No. 2,169,928, dated Aug. 15, 1939, to H. Saley, entitled "Gambrel", includes a ring, to which are pivotally attached a pair of rods having hooks secured to opposite ends thereof. A spacer bar is removably positioned between the ends of the rod to facilitate support of an animal carcass from the hooks. A "Small Game Hanging Device" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,188,130, dated Jun. 8, 1965, to S. P. Pietrowicz. The Pietrowicz device includes a tubular member having a length of cord extending therethrough, with the cord exiting the tubular member at both ends and at the center, in opposite directions. The end of the cord which exits the tubular member in the center is attached to a tree limb or other support, while the legs of the animal are secured in spaced relationship to the two ends of the cord which extend downwardly from the opposite ends of the tubular member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,077, dated Oct. 7, 1986, to Jay W. Beebe, describes a "Game Skinning Aid" which is characterized by a shaped wire member configured to define a leg support having an apex bend at the top for securing the game skinning aid to a tree or other support and downwardly-extending, diverging legs which terminate in pointed, forwardly-extending, upturned contact segments. A cooperating head support extends downwardly from points of attachment to the legs and defines a loop at the bottom extension thereof to support the head of an animal. The game skinning aid is designed to alternately support the legs and head of an animal carcass to facilitate efficient skinning and dressing of the animal.
One of the problems which exists in prior art devices used for securing an animal carcass for skinning and cleaning the animal carcass is that of the lack of facility to alternately support both the head and legs of the carcass. This facility is often necessary in order to properly position the carcass to allow more efficient skinning and cleaning of the carcass. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a clamping device for securing an animal carcass in a position which facilitates efficient cleaning and dressing of the carcass.
Another object of this invention is to provide a clamping device for aid in skinning a game carcass, which clamping device is characterized by a U-shaped clamp bracket for attachment to a vertical support surface and provided with notches for alternately receiving the rear legs and optionally, the front legs as well as the neck of a game carcass to facilitate securing the game carcass to the clamping device in a proper position for efficient skinning, cleaning and dressing of the carcass.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a clamping device for attachment to a vertical support such as a wall, post or barn door and securing a game carcass in position as the carcass is skinned and dressed, which clamping device is characterized by an elongated, generally U-shaped clamp bracket for attachment to the support, a pair of spaced-apart leg notches provided in the clamp bracket for alternately receiving the rear legs and optionally, the front legs, respectively, of the horizontal carcass, a neck notch provided in the clamp bracket typically between the leg notches, for receiving the neck of the carcass and an elongated clamp bar pivotally attached to the clamp bracket and provided with a latch mechanism for securing the clamp bar against the rear legs and, if desired, the front legs, and the neck of the carcass, and the carcass in the clamp bracket as the carcass is skinned and dressed.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a clamping device for attachment to a vertical support and securing a game carcass in a horizontal skinning and dressing position, which clamping device is characterized by an elongated, generally U-shaped clamp bracket terminated on each end by an attachment flange for attaching the clamp bracket to the support, a pair of spaced-apart, typically V-shaped leg notches provided in the upper edge of the clamp bracket for alternately receiving the rear and front legs of the carcass, a typically V-shaped neck notch provided in the upper edge of the clamp bracket between the leg notches for receiving the neck of the carcass, an elongated, rectangular clamp bar pivotally mounted on the clamp bracket and a coiled latch spring provided on the clamp bar for engaging the clamp bracket and securing the clamp bar against the rear legs or against the neck and front legs (optionally) of the carcass and the carcass in the clamp bracket. In operation of the clamping device, the rear legs of the carcass are initially secured in the respective leg notches of the clamp bracket and the lower body of the carcass skinned, and the rear legs are subsequently removed from the leg notches, the carcass reversed and the front legs (optional) and the neck are secured in the leg and neck notches, respectively, and the upper body of the carcass skinned.